You Decide Activity Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

You Decide Activity - Assignment Example However in Carol’s case, it is clear that she does not need that maternity leave. This is evident as Bob the Union leader states, â€Å"First, maternity leaves are necessary for the physical health and recovery of the mother. Second, the bond formed between mother and child is an important component of child rearing.† This itself is the testament that Carol did not fulfill the first aspect of the leave itself, which should support the court to dismiss her case. Moreover, from a legal aspect- maternity is defined in an instance where a mother has conceived a child. Although the organization understand that this may be mentally exhaust Carol’s ability not to conceive, it does not grant her the right to take a maternity leave due to the fact she is not conceiving. Secondly, the vacation allocation of Carol seems to be illogical. If Carol wanted to request this vacation, she should have let her manager be aware of these circumstances. Instead, she takes a vacation of two weeks and then informs her manager after she comes back that she wants to go in a maternity leave. This type of behavior is not tolerable because her manager has now to allocate resources to her workload. It seems that this is against compliance. First and foremost, he Family and Medical Leave Act  protects the job of any worker who must take time away from work due to a serious illness, a sick family member or to care for a newborn, adopted or foster child. Under FML, mothers are able to time away regardless of the fact if the kids are fraternal or not. Furthermore, the bargaining act makes it clear that mothers are allowed to have up to 6 months of leave. If this in fact is the case, then there is no violation of the law as the collective argument upholds this. Secondly, the focal point is that the law explicitly states that maternal or adoption leave. Looking at ACE-AFSME

The Black Death Essay Example for Free

The Black Death Essay What were the short term and long term impacts of the Black Death on Medieval society? The Black Death is one of the most fatal diseases in human history and took its peak in Europe from 1348 to 1350. Half of Europe’s population was wiped out due to this disease and the short and long term impacts greatly affected the structure of Medieval Society. The Black Death or otherwise known as the plague was thought to have begun in Central Asia, which spread down the Silk Road and eventually to Europe in the 14th century. The disease was caused by the fleas on infected rats, which spread the infection by biting a person or animal. However, the disease could also be contracted by breathing in airborne droplets from a person who already had the plague. Trading ships helped spread the plague as there were many rats on board who could jump off at the harbours they were trading in. Symptoms for the plague began in the first few days and included headaches, feeling of weakness, aches in the legs and groin, a white coating on the tongue, fever, vomiting, muscles pains, bleeding of the lungs and mental instability. The victim would also begin to develop black buboes on the armpits, leg, neck or groin that are red when first formed but will eventually grow to the size of an egg, turn black and burst, ultimately killing the victim . This disease killed very quickly, between 2 to 4 days and gave the victim a strong desire to sleep, which would kill them if it was allowed. There were many ‘treatments’ to the Black Death, many of them ineffective and superstitious such as wearing a magpies beak around your neck and cutting a hole in your head to let out bad spirits. However, there were wise women that lived in villages who provided medicine from herbs that actually worked. In all, there were not many effective way to cure the plague as people back in the Medieval times had little scientific understanding and believed the plague was a punishment sent from God, hence there were people called flagellants who went around whipping themselves and begging for God’s forgiveness. The short impacts of the Black Death had changed Medieval society greatly. Whole families and towns were wiped out and it is estimated that around 200 million people in Europe fell to the plague. Villages and towns began barring anyone from entering in fear of the plague and some of the rich chose to escape overseas. People began running amok, drinking and enjoying themselves as much as they could as they believed they had not long to live. Others thought that living quietly would cure them of the plague while a large amount of people believed that the world was going to end. The Crusades (a religious war fought between the Christians and the Muslims) came to a halt as the soldiers fighting the war had mostly died from the plague. Prices for everything also went down as most of the customers were dead and Free land become quite common as the people who owned the land were all dead. There were so many deaths that there was no one to farm the lands and barely anything had been harvested, resulting in starvation. The Long term impacts of the Black Death were better living conditions for the peasants after the plague as there were hardly any people left so the peasants remaining could get more wages subsequently improving their houses, tools and clothes. Higher wages also meant that some could send their children to school where they learnt to read and write to get better jobs. More schools were built due to this development and life became much easier for the poor. The power that the church had over the people was also diminishing as many believed that the plague was sent to punish the wicked, which was mainly the peasants but when even people of the church began to die, people began to question the church’s power. There were also more opportunities for women as many men had died so the women had to fill in for their jobs. For the first time, women could be the head of a household and own a wage earning job such as a blacksmith. Peasants were not so bound to the land anymore and this caused problems as the feudal lords of those times lost power and more peasants began looking for a better life. However, these were not the only long term impacts of the Black Death and in 1381; an event occurred in England that had never taken place before in the Medieval Ages. This event took place due to the smaller number of people to work the land; the peasants wanted more wages and freedom so that they could live a better life. Taxes also grew higher because of war and the Poll Tax in 1381 was the highest ones, leading the Peasants to rebel in what is now called ‘The Peasant’s Revolt’. The Peasants Revolt was an event in Medieval history where common people fought for more rights and freedom. It began in the villagers when Essex refused to pay taxes and attacked the tax collectors starting a riot that spread through Kent and Essex. The peasants eventually grouped together and decided to march to London to force the King to give them more rights. They elected a leader called Wat Tyler on the 7th of June, released a priest called John Ball and assembled together outside of London where King Richard (the present 14 year old king) met the rebels at Mile End. Wat Tyler demanded six things from the King. He demanded that Serfdom was abolished, that there be no more feudal services for the peasants, that land would be held freely at 4d an acre per year, the church lands must be given to the people and that there should be no legal difference between one man and another. King Richard agreed to these requests and pardoned the rebels. The same day, King Richard went to meet the rebels again at the Banks of Thames but confusion amongst the rebels stopped him from landing. Some rebels left after being pardoned but some stayed and murdered two of the King’s advisors in the tower of London. After this, the King went into hiding when the peasants destroyed the Duke of Lancaster’s palace and freed the prisoners. Finally, the King met with the rebels again and Wat Tyler made more demands but was stabbed to death when some felt he was threatening the King. The rebels were disbanded and killed under order of the King, the revolt had failed. However, it would not be until at 500 years later that Wat Tyler’s demands became a reality. The Black Death was a devastating disease that occurred in Europe in the 14th century that wiped out half of the population. The short term impacts were not only of mass death but also of the events that took place afterwards, such as the Peasant’s Revolt that resulted from the short term impacts of the plague. Whether short term or long term, the Black Death greatly impacted Medieval Society and triggered some of the most major events in English history.

Impact of Advertising of Toilet Soaps

Impact of Advertising of Toilet Soaps Rationale of Study 70 % of India Population Lives in 627000 Villages in rural Areas.90% of the Rural Population is concentrated in villages with a Population of less than 2000, with agriculture being the main Business. This shows the Potential India and has to bring the much -needed Volume Driven Growth. The Saturation limit in the Urban Market has reached and now marketers are moving Rural. They are following go GO RURAL Strategy. There is a increase in Income of Rural People, growth in rural demand is expected to increase double fold every Quarter because consumers are moving up towards premium products. However, in the recent past there has not been much change in the volume of premium soaps in proportion to economy soaps, because increase in prices has led some consumers to look for cheaper substitutes. The Maximum Advertisement is Personal Care Category comes from Toiletry Soaps .It will be also good to understand some ground realities about rural marketing before marketers venture into rural markets with their brands. Like in urban areas, People who watch TV in rural areas, also influence the choice of many personal care products. INTRODUCTION Background of study The toilet soaps market is estimated at 530,000 TPA including small imports. Hindustan UniLever is, of course, the market leader. The market is littered over with several, leading national and global brands and a large number of small brands, which have limited markets. The popular Brands in the rural areas include Lifebuoy, Lux, Cinthol, Liril, and Nirma, Santoor. Toilet soaps, despite their divergent brands, are not well differentiated by the consumers. It is, therefore, not clear if it is the brand loyalty or experimentation lured by high volume media campaign, which sustain them. A consequence is that the market is fragmented. It is obvious that this must lead to a highly competitive market. Toilet soap, once only an urban phenomenon, has now penetrated practically all areas including remote rural areas. The incremental demand flows from population increase and rise in usage norm impacted as it is by a greater concern for hygiene. Increased sales revenues would also expand from up gradation of quality or per unit value. As the market is constituted now, it can be divided into four price segments: premium, popular, discount and economy soaps. Premium soaps are estimated to have a market volume of about 80,000 tonnes. This translates into a share of about 14 to 15%. However, by value it is as much as 30%. Market Segmentation Soaps are also categorized into mens soaps, ladies soaps and common soaps. There are a few specialty soaps as transparent Glycerin soaps, sandal soaps, specially flavored soaps, medicated soaps and baby soaps. Specialty soaps are high valued but enjoy only a small share of the market in value terms. The market is growing at 7% a year. This means that the incremental demand generation is 5% over and above the population growth. With increasing awareness of hygienic standards, the market could grow at a rate higher than 8% annually. Interestingly, 60% of the market is now sourced from the rural sector. This means that the variance between the two segments is not very large. Since upper-end market focus is the urban areas, margins come from the urban sector. Factors affecting buying behavior Price is the most important factor which effects the buying behavior of consumer, by which a consumer goes for the various segment of soap like premium, popular, sub-popular and carbolic which are basically decided by the cost factor and fat content in the soap. The buying frequency is either monthly that is done by the families or in case of bachelors it is more than once in a month. The occasions when premium soaps are purchased are usually when there are festivals and ceremonies. Moti Soaps are usually presented during festivals and occasions for presents and gifts. The promotional techniques help to boost sales. Various tactics like the price offs, buy one get two free, free gifts and other schemes help boost sales in short run and also help in clearing stocks. One of the important points a soap marketer should note is that the soaps are usually purchased by women in urban areas as most of the day to day consumption of personal care products are made by women. A point to note is that women use more personal care product than men do and hence premium soaps are mostly targeted at them. Men normally make purchase decisions in rural areas. Hence the marketer has to adopt different strategy for such a market. Benefits sought by various customers from various brands are Beauty Lux Freshness Liril, Cinthol Natural Medimix, Margo Baby Johnson Johnson, Doy Cream Dove, Doy Care (moisturizing) Medicated Dettol, Savlon, Glycerin Pears, Emami Penetration One of the factors, which affect the demand of soaps, is the penetration, which the products have in market. In case of soaps this has not been a major issue as the penetration in the rural area is as high as 97% and that for urban area is around 99%. Thus the approximately the penetration is around 99% for overall India. Hindustan UniLever is the largest contributor to the toilet soaps market of India. It enjoys almost a two-thirds share, with the second ranked Nirma Soaps placed at a distantly low share of 16.8%. Lux and Lifebuoy have held the sway of the market for almost fifty years. While the former brand remained the preserve of the high-end rich consumers, Lifebuoy ruled the roost with health-conscious users as a hygienic soap. The products underwent up-gradations with the introduction of versions like International Lux and Lifebuoy Personal. In between came brands like Nirma Rose, Nirma Beauty Soap, Breeze, Caress, and LeSancy. In 1993 came Dove. Earlier, Liril made waves with its lemon touch and bathing acrobatics. At the medium and lower rungs, brands like Hamam, Moti, Jai, Rexona (third largest brand) were well supported by OK and later by OK NSD Bar. The brands have undergone a full foray of launches and relaunches, making each occasion to give a more vigorous thrust to the marketing effort. Quite a few of the brands have been acquired: Hamam from TOMCO and Baby Toilet soap from Johnson Johnson, for example. While Pears has dominated as high profile specialty soap, HUL undertook, in 1992, a project to manufacture the product for the world market at Khamgaon in Maharashtra. Commercial production commenced in 1993. To provide a sound base to its toilet soaps operations, HUL has also branched out into other toiletries like shampoos and related products like glycerin, fatty acids. Godrej Soaps had a disappointing experience in forging an alliance with Procter Gamble (PG). Infact PG is withdrawing itself from the premium soap segment like Camay. P G has now a fully-owned subsidiary in India and now it is concentrating more on personal care products. Godrej retained all soap brands and transferred detergent brands to PG in 1993. Godrej found it convenient to shed the detergent brands Ezee, Key, Biz and Trilo as they represented a losing portfolio. Godrej is promoting a number of brands, Cinthol, Ganga, Shikakai, Fairglow, No.1 and Crowning Glory, while it has others to bother about such as Vigil and Fresca. Cinthol ranks third and accounts for 60% of all Godrej Soaps brands. It is an old brand launched about five decades ago in early 1950s. New Cinthol Lime and Cologne gave it a new look in 1985. Two variants were introduced in 1989 placing an added emphasis on their brand of soaps. Its deodorant and complexion soap is styled as Cinthol Spice. Cinthol is perceived largely as a male soap, as Lux is a ladys soap. The company expects a very high growth for Cinthol in 1997-98. Ganga did well and a new version Doodh Ganga has been introduced. Ganga had notched up a 5% market share but declined to 2% later with sales at Rs 350 mn. Godrej wants to revive it. Godrej Soaps was giving a tough competition to Hindustan Lever. Crowning Glory was pitched for hair care. Even Nirma has achieved a significant penetration and has notched up an impressive 60,000 tonnes sale in just three years. Nirma Ltd has been putting up a backward integration plant to produce soda ash and linear alkyl benzene (LAB). Capacity utilization in the industry varies from as low as 50% to 80%. Godrej Soaps Limited (GSL) has been using its capacity by working for other producers. GSL makes Rexona and Dettol for Reckitt Colman of India and Johnsons Baby Soap for Hindustan UniLever (Johnson Johnson). And yet only half of its capacity of 71,000 tonnes is being used. Also companies like VVF Ltd. has state of the art technology oriented plants, which they mostly use for producing brands like Dettol, Nivea Creame soap and also internationally well know brands like Fa for other marketers. It seems Indians have sacrificed hygiene at the altar of thrift. If numbers are anything to go by, Indians do seem to be washing themselves, as well as their clothes, rather less. Data collated by industry certainly points to this rather unpleasant conclusion. The consumption of soaps and detergents has shrunk substantially with volumes declining by 11.5 per cent and consumption of detergents declining by 4.1 per cent in the year. The evidence of this decline in consumption is somewhat perplexing in a country with a growing population as the consumption of soap and detergents should logically be directly proportional to population growth. Soaps and detergents are at the back of the house and are not status products like TVs or refrigerators. Its possible that consumers may be economizing on their use or buying cheaper brands during a downturn, explains an official at a leading FMCG firm. One possible reason could be increased production in the small-scale sector. For instance, besides detergents sold as powders and bars, which is produced by organized players, a large quantum of detergents is sold in the form of laundry soaps, which are used for washing clothes. Production of laundry soaps are reserved for the small-scale sector and data is not readily available. There is also a large cottage industry producing cheap soap, used for personal wash, for which reliable numbers are not available. Another possible reason for the apparent decline in consumption could be the free samples of soap which have been handed out as part of incentive schemes, say industry sources. The quantum of such samples may not be picked up in the data, said the official. There is another whacky hypothesis. Many households earlier used soaps for twin purposes: for body wash as well as shampoo substitutes. However, successful sachet marketing in shampoo seems to have now penetrated this market, which has directly impacted the sales of soaps. A detailed analysis of the data shows that sale of premium soaps, the likes of HULs Lux or Godrejs Cinthol, declined by 13.1 per cent. But even the carbolic or discount soaps the likes of HULs Lifebuoy or Nirma saw volumes decline by 9.9 per cent. Even though the market has shown de-growth in toilet soaps segment, analyst say that it will grow at a meager rate of 3 to 4 per cent especially in the premium category, which was previously looking attractive. This can be attributed to factors like excessive dependent of Indian rural sector on monsoon, which can be uncertain. Also due to high excise duty prices have remained high enough to keep the huge middle class chunk away from this market. Thirdly 80% of the raw materials used in premium soap are imports, which attract high import duty. All this factors lead to increase in cost, which deters the players to provide value for money product to the middle class consumer. The price of the premium segment products is twice that of economy segment products. The economy and popular segments are 4/5ths of the entire soaps market. The penetration level of toilet soaps is 88.6%. However, the per capita consumption of soap in India is at 460 gms per annum, while in Brazil it is at 1,100 gms per annum. In India, soaps are available in five million retail stores, out of which, 3.75 million retail stores are in the rural areas. Therefore, availability of these products is not an issue. 70% of Indias population resides in the rural areas; hence around 50% of the soaps are sold in the rural markets. Growth With increase in disposable incomes, growth in rural demand is expected to increase because consumers are moving up towards premium products. However, in the recent past there has not been much change in the volume of premium soaps in proportion to economy soaps, because increase in prices has led some consumers to look for cheaper substitutes. The major players in personal wash (Soap) market are HUL, Nirma and Godrej REVIEW OF LITERATURE Publised by WPP COMPANY ( OGLIVY INDIA ) Developing markets such as India are an important source of growth for Unilever. The company is adopting unique marketing approaches to increase consumption of its products in these regions, positioning itself as an ethical brand that benefits wider society. Unilevers Lifebuoy Swasthya Chetna (Health Awakening) campaign is one example. This educates people on the importance of health and hygiene in preventing diarrhea and encourages them to adopt a simple hand-washing regime using soap. Swasthya Chetna is Indias largest ever rural health and hygiene education program. HUL have done aggressive advertising strategies to promote its Swasthya Chetna Programme Lifebuoy health officers visited 43,000 Indian villages and schools over five years where they used product demonstrations, interactive visuals, competitions and drama workshops to spread the health and hygiene message. The program has reached 110 million rural Indians since it began in 2002. Awareness of germs has increased by 30% and soap use has increased among 79% of parents and among 93% of children in the areas targeted. Soap consumption has increased by 15%. The campaign received recognition for its innovation and effectiveness, winning Silver in the Rural Marketing Advertisers Association of India awards in 2006, and the grand prize at the Asian CSR awards 2007. It was also recognized by the Indian government who created a special edition postal cover dedicated to the campaign. .[1] Publised in Business.in.com by Sawmya roy on August 18,2009 Godrej No. 1. is a hit though, from the stables of Godrej Consumer Products Ltd. It claimed the number three spot in the toilet soap category for the quarter ended June 2009, eating into market leader Hindustan Unilevers (HUL) market share. It is now the third highest selling soap behind Lifebuoy and Lux. Lifebuoy and Lux, both HUL products and market leaders, saw market share decline by almost 2 percent to 16 and 15.4 Santoor also stakes claim to the number three spot. The ACNielsen Repot shows Godrej No. 1 in the number three slot, but only in terms of volume. Since it is a discount brand, it falls to number five in terms of value. Santoor and Dettol take the third and fourth spots on the Neilson Report Table. Toilet-soaps have emerged as the most advertised product in the personal care category in the first half of 2009, leaving behind summer skewed category favorites like talcum powders and prickly heat powders/lotions by a considerable margin. The top 10 list saw three of the brands from toilet soaps Lifebuoy Swasth, Chetna 07, Godrej No.1 Papaya Lotus and Lux Pink Soap. The change in trend is because traditional summer categories like talcum powder has reached stagnation due to consumers shift towards other categories like the deodorants. The shift from talcum powders to toilet soaps during summers is also because soaps too are increasingly being positioned as a value-added, cosmetic category which could ensure lasting fragrance, smooth skin and even fairness in some cases. According to industry estimates, the soap segment is one of the biggest FMCG categories in India with bathing and toilet soaps constituting around 30 per cent of the soap market.. Hindustan Unilever (HUL) is the biggest advertiser in the personal care category across print and television media. Toilet Soaps had a 1/4th share in the entire personal care advertising in print, while the category led the advertising with 30 per cent share on TV. HUL advertised with 42 brands in which Lux soap, Fair Lovely Multivitamin and Pepsodent Complete Germi Check had the maximum share. .[2] Publised in Business.in.com by Sawmya roy on August 18,2009 Godrej No. 1 has gained market share but it is more due to HULs bad judgments in assessing consumer sentiment. No. 1s growth figures have come from rural areas. During the peak of the slowdown last year, rural buying was largely unaffected even as urban figures dropped. But rural areas are sensitive to price changes. Prices of palm oil, a key ingredient in soap, started rising and HUL imposed steep price hikes. Godrej waited and increased prices slowly and at a much lower rate than HUL. They drove home the advantage that they had been handed. Once consumers started trying out Godrej No. 1, the brand managers used a combination of clear mass market, rural positioning and a rapid increase in distribution to cement the gains. The company sharply increased its rural distribution network. No. 1 ads now appear only on Doordarshan because it is cheaper and ubiquitous in the areas where they want to be. Spending only on Doordarshan also means that Godrej No. 1s ad to sales ratio is just 1 percent compared to the industry figure of around 8 to 10 percent. No. 1 was traditionally popular in Punjab and Haryana but not known in other states. It has doubled distribution in Uttar Pradesh in the last two years to compete with large competitors. The Godrej group re-branding campaign also helped. But No. 1 is not alone in its success. Wipro has also worked with micro finance institutions to promote its soaps in rural areas. .[3} Published: June 03, 2010 in India [emailprotected] In Indian villages, though, a marriage in the family means shopping not just for the trousers and home appliances it also means buying hair dye, henna and bigger bars of soap. For many households in rural India, what the rest of the world considers everyday products are luxuries to be indulged in once in a while. Consumer products companies in India are working overtime to change that thinking. Godrej Consumer Products Ltd (GCPL), though, ensuring its products fly off village store shelves has become the governing ambition. In April 2009, Godrej initiated the ambitious Project Dharti (Dharti is the Hindi word for Earth) to increase the companys focus on rural India. The programs goals are: to generate sales in rural India that overtake within a year the contribution of the countrys urban areas; that rural sales growth will outstrip overall sales increases; and that GCPLs distribution network within three years will have expanded to 50,000 villages and 8,000 small towns across India. GCPL is the second largest bath soap manufacturer in India, after Hindustan Unilever. The company claims its Godrej No.1 brand is the best-selling Grade 1; toilet soaps ,have a higher fat content than bathing bars) and the market leader across north India. Rural sales contribution to total revenue has increased to 42%, and GCPL has gained a percentage point each in market share of hair color and soaps. Godrej increased its Market Share with the Advertising in Rural Areas with their Discount Schemes. . GCPL always have been mainly focusing on Customize product and communication; build recognition through demonstration; build word of mouth for the brand; and build access through innovation and a cost-effective distribution channel. Conventional wisdom says rural consumers need customized products designed to suit their needs, their conditions and their wallets. But they also want products similar to those available in urban markets, so many believe that small compromises in product quality are acceptable. Rural consumers want the same product as urban shoppers. If you compromise on quality to make it affordable now, they will shun your brand when their income levels increase. The solution lies in customizing the size of the offering, not the product itself. GCPL has done just that, introducing smaller packages of the same products, at price points rural consumers can afford. Smaller bars of soap, herbal henna packets for 10 cents, sachets of powder hair dye and talcum powder for 20 cents act as entry points for rural consumers, who return for larger packs when their budgets permit. Sales of consumer products in rural markets peak immediately after the harvest and during festivals and the wedding season (September through December), when many of Indias 600,000 villages are in a have-cash-will-spend mood. Company executives say the response to the smaller packages has been strong, especially in South India, where the smallest available size of GCPLs Cinthol soap retails at 50 cents. An 11-cent bar has been added to the portfolio. There was Aggressive advertising for their smaller pack Communication and promotion strategies also need to be tailored to suit rural customer needs. It starts with the media plan. For value brands like Godrej No.1, GCPL has stopped advertising on private cable and satellite channels, preferring the cheaper and more widely received government-owned television network, Doordarshan, as well as All-India Radio. In addition, it advertises on regional language TV channels and in local publications. It is more cost-effective to be on Doordarshan since the share of voice is higher,. The hair color brands and soap brand Cinthol also retain a more conventional media plan, including ads on cable television. The commercials that appear on regional TV channels and Doordarshan are quite different from those on cable television, keeping local sentiments in mind. For instance, visuals of people playing with their hair or running their fingers through their hair would be frowned upon in conservative villages, although its a common image in hair care product advertising across the country.. The rural consumer is just evolving from the economics of necessity to the economics of gratification. Unlike the urban consumer, he is largely a first-time user of several product categories, be it FMCG or durables, he adds. Regular below-the-line activity such as in-store demonstrations and stalls at village fairs and farmers meets are also forming part of GCPLs rural marketing strategy. Barbers as Brand Ambassadors GCPL is counting on word-of-mouth brand building for its Expert line of hair color products and Toiletry soaps . The company is reaching out to 50,000 barbers and salons in nine states, offering to engage them in a co-branding exercise. Under the program, the salons add the Expert tag to their names, with all fixtures including mirrors and chairs displaying the GCPL brand logo prominently. The salons will also be provided grooming kits including the hair dye, mixing bowl and brush, as well as other GCPL products such as talcum powder and shaving cream. Most people turn to their hairdressers for advice when they decide to color their hair. So it makes sense for us to influence the influencer, .[4] Publised in Times of India by Namrata Singh Rupali Mukherjee Demand for top-of-the- drawer FMCG products is no longer restricted to urban India. The rural consumer has emerged as an important cog in the sales growth of premium offerings. Clever pricing, rising aspirations and new marketing mantras are driving this trend. With rural consumers warming up to branded products, the urban-rural divide is fading away faster than one can imagine. There is now very little difference between the aspirations of rural consumers and their urban counterparts. Certain growth statistics have shattered the myth that the rural consumer is content with unbranded or mass-end products alone and gives a strong indication that rural market consumption has picked up and is accelerating faster than urban markets. This has led to their changing their consumption pattern. Dove shampoo, a premium-end product, reported a growth of over 100% in the rural market during January-October 2010 over the same period last year. In fact, Dove grew faster than its mid-priced cousin, Sunsilk shampoo, which reported a growth of 14% in rural India during the period. Although analysts explain that the high growth is due to a lower base and that actual sales number would be smaller given the recent introduction of the brand, one cannot overlook the fact that there is a demand for such products and marketers can no longer underestimate the aspirations of the rural consumer. Gone are the days when the rural consumer was content with using mustard oil and plain soap.Today,he/she is seeking special branded products for daily skin and healthcare needs. Rural consumers across income segments are showing a marked propensity towards spending on premium high-quality products, which are backed by strong brand values, For instance, take food products. Not only has the demand for cream biscuits gone up in rural markets, the sale of instant noodles, too,is growing nearly twice as fast in the rural market compared to the urban one. Whats more, one in every six rural buyer of hair dye now uses colours other than black something, which would have been dubbed indulgence a decade ago. Even seemingly urbane brands in categories like deodorants and fabric softeners are said to be growing much faster in rural India than urban. [5] RESEARCH METHODOLOGY Research methodology is the arrangement of condition for collection and analysis of data in a manner that aims to combine the relevance to the research purpose with economy in procedure. Research is conceptual structure within which research is conducted. It is way to systematically study and solve the research problems. Research purpose can be divided into three categories: Exploratory research: It is also termed as formulate research the main purpose of such research is to gain familiarity with a phenomenon or to achieve new insights. Descriptive research: This portrays the particular characteristics of a particular individual situation or a group. Casual research: Conducted to identify cause and effect relationships. A close end questionnaire was constructed for the survey. A questionnaire comprising a set of questions was presented to respondents for their answers. Data Collection: PRIMARY DATA: The first-hand information bearing on any research is the one which has been collected by the researcher. The data here is collected through: A structured questionnaire SECONDARY DATA: The data which has already been collected, complied and presented earlier by any agency may be used for purpose of investigation. The data collected through: Various publications in form of annual reports, various papers and journals published from time to time. Statistical Tool After collection of data another work necessary for any data collector is to correctly analysis that data. So statistical tools helps us to correctly analysis the data. The statistical tool used here is the software SPSS version 16.0. Ordinal Scale: An ordinal scale not only categorizes the variables in such a way as to denote differences among the various categories, it also rank-orders the categories in some meaningful way. With any variable for which the categories are to be ordered according to some preference the ordinal scale would be used. The preference would be ranked and numbered 1, 2 and so on. Nominal Scale: A nominal scale is one that allows the researcher to assign subjects to certain categories or groups. For example with respect to the variable of gender, respondents can be grouped into two categories male and female. These two groups can be assigned code numbers 1 and 2. These numbers serve as simple and convenient category labels with no intrinsic value, other than to assign respondents to one of two non-overlapping or mutually exclusive categories. Objectives of the Study: To find out the impact of advertising on Brand Performance. To know the consumer Perception of a brand after Advertising. Hypothesis Null Hypothesis: There is No significant impact of advertisement on Purchasing of toilet soaps in Rural India Alternative Hypothesis: There would be significant impact of advertisement on Purchasing of Toilet Soaps in Rural India. Research Design: The research is exploratory in nature. Explorative studies valuable means of finding out what is happening to seek new insights to ask questions and to access phenomenon in a new light. The study involves finding out impact of advertising on Brand Performance and the consumer Perception of a Brand after Advertising. Sampling Technique: Sample Size- Rural Consumers -150 Rural Retailers -50 Sampling Method- Random Sampling Method , Research Instrument Questionnaire Research Type -Exploratory Research The date was collected from filling of Questionnaires from Rural Customers and Retailers in the outskirts of Ghaziabad and Noida and the sampling Method used is Random Sampling Method. TESTS : CHI-SQUARE TEST : A chi-square test (also chi squared test or à Ã¢â‚¬ ¡2 test) is any statistical hypothesis testin which the sampling distribution of the test statistic is a chi-square distribution when the null hypothesis is true, or any in which this is asymptotically true, meaning that the sampling distribution (if the null hypothesis is true) can be made to approximate a chi-square distribution as closely as desired by making the sample size large enough. Procedure: Set up the null hypothesis that there is no significant difference between the observed and expected value. We compute the value of CHI- square by using the formula CHI-square = à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ à Ã¢â‚¬ ¡2=ÃŽÂ £ (( Oi- Ei)2/Ei) O- Observed value E- Expected value Degree of freedoms=(R-1)(C-1) Level of significance=5 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY: Research is based on the collection of data from both primary and secondary sources. There may be a possibility of biasness on the part of some respondents, but very much care has been taken to make this report unbiased. Some respondents might not give the correct information due to their lack of interest and shortage of time. Time constraint. All the information is based on primary and secondary data that has its own limitations. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS Analysis on Toilet Soap Industry in India There are various toilet soaps which are sold in the Rural Market but same stay for long time and some do not and the main reason for this that companies drop in their Advertising Efforts and but companies like HUL,Godrej,Nirma Have excelled in the Rural Market because of their continuous Marketing Efforts throughout the years . The Target market chosen by me was people in the rural areas and I used random sampling method and chose people from the age group of 18-45 yrs and went on with the Research. There were 14 set of questions Designed, 7 each for the consumers and the Retailers. Analysis Question 1 Interpretation: When it comes to the Rural Market of India, the most sold Soap is Lifebuoy, Godrej and Lux and the responses from the people is also the same, 28 Respondents

Parental Involvement Benefits Elementary School Childrens Essay

Parental Involvement Benefits Elementary School Childrens Parental involvement has many positive effects on both child and parent. Some of the benefits of parental involvement for children are a significantly increased cognitive development, an improvement in the child’s motivation, a stronger parent-child relationship and, of course, increased academic achievement. Some of the benefits parental involvement has on parents are gaining a more positive attitude about themselves and their parenting skills, increased self-confidence and an increased satisfaction about their child’s school and faculty at the school (Becher, 2001). There are many benefits to parents’ involvement in their elementary school child’s life, but, possibly the most important benefit is in helping the child’s academic achievement. First of all, why the recent interest in parent involvement? Many might give credit to Section 1118 of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. This section of â€Å"No Child Left Behind† requires any school district in the United States that receives Title I, Part A funds to execute programs, activities, and events that enable parents to get involved. Title I forces school districts to make a strong effort to communicate with and get feedback from parents who want to be involved in the programs, activities and events directed towards parent involvement. The districts are required to provide equal involvement opportunities for all parents, including those who speak limited English, are disabled, and parents of migratory children. Every school district is required to develop together, agree on with and distribute to parents the districts plan on parent involvement programs (â€Å"No Child Left Behind†, 2002).... ... Power. New York: Hyperion. This is a book I came across at the Towson public library. Kirshbaum starts off with a chapter full of various studies that have been done that prove how beneficial parent involvement is. The book is then broken down into four sections of ninety different ways parents can get involved in their child’s life and have their child get the most out of their education. Peterson, D. (1989). Parent involvement in the education process. ERIC Digest EA 43. Retrieved April 3, 2003, from http://www.ericfacility.net/ericdigests/ed312776.html This article briefly discusses why parent involvement is so important. Peterson then discusses how parent involvement is particularly beneficial for at-risk children. Peterson also mentions how parents can get involved and how parent-involvement programs can be implemented on a district wide basis.

Pride and Prejudice Analysis Essay

Elizabeth Bennet receives two proposals; one from Mr Collins and one from Mr Darcy. Mr Collins was a tall and heavy looking man of twenty-five years. Although he was polite and well mannered he was also pompous and had a self-inflated ego. He always made ‘never ending speeches about nothing’ and bored everyone to death. Mr Collins flattered everyone constantly but sometimes inappropriately. ‘He begged to know which of his fair cousins the excellence of it’s cooking was owed.’ -By this, Mrs Bennet was offended and assured him they were in fact able to keep a good cook. This showed his lack of judgement in when to compliment. He was also quite absurd and Mr Bennet’s sarcasm often went completely unnoticed. For example, on page 54, Mr Bennet asked if his flatteries were prepared and Mr Collins admitted that sometimes he would think of them for his amusement! Lady Catherine de Bourgh who was his patroness employed him. He grovelled to her constantly as she paid his way; because of her, he was middle/upper class. He was a clergyman at Hunsford near Rosings, Lady Catherine de Bourgh’s home. When Mr Bennet dies, Mr Collins will inherit Longburn, as Mr Bennet cannot leave the house to his wife; women couldn’t inherit. In Mr Collins’ letter, he proposes to make peace with the family. Mr Darcy on the other hand was very good looking. ‘He soon drew the attention of the room by his fine tall person, handsome features, noble mien†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ He is also described as ‘a fine figure of a man’. But he was soon to be discovered to be ‘proud above his company’. He was clever, but at the same time he was ‘haughty, reserved and fastidious’. He owned Pemberly Estate and got one thousand a year. -He was upper class and he knew it; ‘He had seen a collection of people in whom there was little beauty and no fashion for none of whom he had felt the smallest interest.’ Darcy and Bingley had a good friendship despite many differences. ‘Bingley was sure of being liked wherever he appeared; Darcy was continually giving offence.’ Darcy had no sense of humour and admitted it. He couldn’t see the funny side of life whereas Bingley was light hearted and liked to enjoy everything he did. In the past Wickam and Darcy had a disagreement. Mr Darcy’s father had promised Wickam a place in the church but when he died Darcy refused to help him. Mr Collins first hints on his future plans in his letter to the Bennets when he writes; ‘I cannot be otherwise than concerned at the means of injuring your amiable daughters, and beg leave to apologise for it, as well as to assure you of my readiness to make them every possible amends.’ On the first day of staying at Longburn, he, in a conversation to Mrs Bennet said; ‘I can assure the young ladies that I come prepared to admire them.’ -Here he gave Mrs Bennet a small glimpse of his intentions. Jane Austin then gave it away saying that now having a good house and income; Mr Collins was in want of a wife. He was also pleasing Catherine de Bourgh who thought he should marry. So for the first evening Jane was the settled choice being not only the eldest, but the prettiest -this was, until he was informed by Mrs Bennet that she was soon to be engaged to Bingley (exaggeration). Then at the Netherfield Ball he asked Lizzy to dance several times and she realised she was the chosen one out of the five sisters. Mr Darcy on the other hand was far from admiring Lizzy at first and when Mr Bingley suggested he dance with her at the Meryton Ball he replied that he had not the least intention of dancing. -Bingley was dancing with the only good looking girl in the room. Here he was referring to Jane. He said Lizzy was ‘tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me.’ Then at Sir William Lucas’s party, William tried to pair up the two of them and Darcy did not resist, but Lizzy brushed him off with; ‘I have not the least intention of dancing.’ -this was pay back. It was at this party that Darcy realised his true feelings for her. At Netherfield when Jane went to stay, she fell ill and Lizzy being worried came to visit. Here, she noticed that Darcy was constantly watching her. Miss Bingley who secretly liked Darcy, in seeing that he was drawn to Lizzy tried to turn him against her. But all in vain, for whatever she said, he just stuck up for Elizabeth. Miss Bingley, in Mr Darcy’s defending her said; ‘I am afraid Mr Darcy that this adventure has rather affected your admiration for her fine eyes.’ I think when she says this she’s half-teasing and half jealous of him liking her. Before proposing, Mr Collins said to Mrs Bennet, ‘May I hope madam, for your interest with your fair daughter Elizabeth, when I solicit for the honour of a private audience with her in the course of this morning?’ -Here, he was basically asking Mrs Bennet’s permission to propose. He then launched straight into his ‘speech’. Mr Darcy came to visit Lizzy and at first made light conversation, asking about her health. Then there was an awkward silence where he must have been trying to think of how to start before proceeding. -Differences are already showing through. Mr Collins first said he’d chosen Lizzy almost as soon as he’d met her (which was a lie) and went on to specify his reasons for marrying her. He, as a clergyman wanted to set an example to the rest of the parish, he thought it would make his happy and he was following Lady Catherine de Bourgh’s advice. He’d obviously planed out his speech carefully but in his reasons, he had not mentioned that he was in love with her! Darcy on the other hand offered his hand in marriage because he did love her and his opening sentence expressed this clearly; ‘In vain I have struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how I admire and love you.’ Mr Collins also made several insults to Lizzy when proposing to her without even realising it! For instance, he said that if she refuses, she my never get another offer. He also reminds her that if she stays single, all she may ever be entitled to is twenty-five pounds when her mother dies. Darcy put his foot in it too. After saying how much he loved her, he went on to say that it was not his wish to do so with her connections and status; ‘His sense of inferiority -of the family obstacles which judgement had always opposed to inclination.’ When he was turned down he thought she was just offended; ‘Could you expect me to rejoice in the inferiority of your connections? -To congratulate myself on the hope of relations, your connections?’ He also admitted to trying to split up Jane and Darcy and even ‘rejoiced’ in his success of doing so. In response to rejection, Mr Collins thinks Lizzy is playing hard to get and says this is to be expected of a lady. He goes on to say all the good materialistic reasons to marry him forgetting to mention things like love. He acts as if marrying would be a good investment for Lizzy or something. He then assured her that both of her parents approved of the marriage. Mr Darcy in response to rejection is shocked and angry but manages to control himself. He asked why he had been refused and thought she must be offended by what he had said earlier; ‘Could you expect me to rejoice in the inferiority of your connections?’ But after saying these words he accepted her answer. Both proposals were made for very different reasons; Mr Collins obviously proposed for convenience, whereas Mr Darcy was in love. Both men also reacted in different ways when turned down; although Mr Collins couldn’t take the rejection, he was not actually bothered about anything other than having his male pride hurt. -Darcy must have been extremely upset, to him Lizzy was the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with but he tried not to show his emotions. They both involved a lot of snobbery in their proposal speeches. They thought that Lizzy would not reject someone of the higher class and she should be grateful that she was chosen out of all the other girls; both reminded her constantly about her status. Mr Collins was more personal mentioning both what would happen when her mother and father died but Lizzy got more angry at Darcy because of things he has said and done in the past. Mr Collins and Mr Darcy both said in much detail all the pros and cons of the marriage. In conclusion, both proposals have some similarities but they differ in the essential requirement of love.

Women S Roles In World War One

These women worked primarily with gunshot wounds and gas victims. The Fad's would have to keep wounds clean, distribute painkillers, and inject these painkillers into men's wounds. The Fanny however had a much more undesirable job. Fanny's would have to clean and disinfect rooms that housed wounded soldiers. â€Å"Some of these volunteers even recalled having to get rid of bodies from the hospital. † (www. Sachem. Du/Erlenmeyer) Not only did these women have to clean the soldier's wounds, but on occasion had to clean the soldiers themselves. Although volunteering as a FANNY seemed unlikable, the women were happy to help aid the grateful soldiers.Other jobs that women did included land work. One group of women were The Women's Land Army. The Women's Land Army worked to bring in the harvest and maintain the farms. Anything that could be done by hand by the WALLA was done by hand in order to save fuel. Since the need for WALLA workers was so high, recruiting officers never thorou ghly checked women's ages. Girls at the age of only 14 were accepted after lying that they were 18. Although the job was tough, â€Å"women were only paid 18 shillings a week. 12 of these shillings would be devoted to food and board, leaving only 6 shillings for women to spend for themselves.Considering a pair of pantyhose cost 3 shillings, they did not have much. † (www. Sachem. Du/Erlenmeyer) Not only did women take over jobs to help the war effort, but they also went out and â€Å"contained† for the U. S. Soldiers. â€Å"They would provide entertainment, hand out food, cigarettes, and sweets, and sewed buttons back on uniforms. † (WV. Www. Warranted. Com/ hoosegow) Women would sing and dance for the soldiers to keep their spirits up. But not only did they sing and dance, but also gave lectures and read poetry. The soldiers would look forward to seeing the women perform for them.It would give them hope even when things were going wrong. A soldier described Sar ah Wailer's performance saying â€Å"I shall never forget as long as I live the blessed white dress she had on the night she recited to us. We had not seen a white dress in years. There we were all ready to go into the line, and there she was talking to us like a girl from home. It sure was a great sight, you bet. † (War And Gender: How Gender Shapes the War System and Vice Versa) In order to raise awareness for the war and show their support, women began campaigns to help the war effort. One campaign in particular was the White Feather Campaign.In this campaign, women would go around and hand out a white feather to any healthy looking man, trying to shame him for being a coward. At that time a white feather was a symbol Of unfulfilled civic duty and receiving a white feather showed the women's disappointment in that man for not going to serve his country. The point of this campaign was to shame men into going to fight. Although in many cases it proved successful, women soon stopped the White Feather Campaign because people spoke out against it. After World War One women were looked at differently. Men realized that they could actually work and take responsibility.

English Exam Essay

English Exam Essay English Exam Essay Firstly I was at outside with my friends riding our bikes down the enormous road, it was really boiling hot and I was sweating like it was my last day of day in the planet. My friends decided to go home and leave me by my self because they couldn't hack the sweat dripping down the forehead to their shirt. Unforunalty I didn't want to go home now because I still wanted to try out my new bike my dad bought me and if I go home now they wont let me it till tomorrow and I cant wait for that long, It’s never been this loud in the Yankee before; it’s sounds like a football match between the best team in world Barcelona vs. real Madrid. The compound was loud as ever, everyone was cheering because they was watching the baseball game that was taking place in the middle of the courtyard till we all heard 2 gun shots Bang! Bang! The compound turned absolute silent it took less then 2 second for everyone in the compound to be quiet. Everyone was confused no one knew what was happening, I tried to peddle back home as fast as I could but when I looked left I saw a car with a roaring engine coming towards me I tried to focus on who was driving the car so I can see who it was; but my heart was beating to fast and I just wanted to get back to my parents but I gave the car one last look and all I see was a man with a assault rifle shooting everyone that came in his way. Why did he do that? I was just trying to figure out what was going on but there was no time. I was near my house but the car was to close to me and I was panicking thinking I was going to get shot till I heard someone say my name Peter! Peter! My heart stopped straight away I turned back and I see my dad I was in shock so I decided to stay on my bike as my dad was running towards me I saw the same people in car with the assault rifles roaring and coming towards us again and shot my dad on his knees and shot his head right in

Show, Dont Tell

Show, Dont Tell Show, Dont Tell Show, Dont Tell By Erin Anyone who’s ever written a short story or taken a freshman composition course has heard the words â€Å"show, don’t tell.† I know those words can be frustrating. You might not know exactly what â€Å"show, don’t tell† means. Or you might believe that you are showing when you’re really telling. While â€Å"telling† can be useful, even necessary, most people don’t realize how vital â€Å"showing† is to an effective story, essay, or even a blog post. Showing allows the reader to follow the author into the moment, to see and feel and experience what the author has experienced. Using the proper balance of showing and telling will make your writing more interesting and effective. â€Å"Okay, I get it,† you’re thinking. â€Å"But how do I do it? How do I bring more showing into my writing?† I’m glad you asked. Here are some tips that will help make your writing more vivid and alive for your reader. 1. Use dialogue This is probably one of the first things I talk to my students about when I have them write personal essays. Dialogue allows the reader to experience a scene as if they were there. Instead of telling the reader your mom was angry, they can hear it for themselves: â€Å"Justin Michael,† mom bellowed, â€Å"Get in here this instant!† Dialogue can give your reader a great deal about character, emotion and mood. 2. Use sensory language In order for readers to fully experience what you’re writing about, they need to be able to see, hear, taste, smell and touch the world around them. Try to use language that incorporates several senses, not just sight. 3. Be descriptive I’m sure everyone remembers learning to use adjectives and adverbs in elementary school. When we’re told to be more descriptive, it’s easy to go back to those things that we were taught. But being descriptive is more than just inserting a string of descriptive words. It’s carefully choosing the right words and using them sparingly to convey your meaning. The following example is from a short story I wrote. Telling: He sits on the couch holding his guitar. There’s nothing wrong with that sentence. It gives the reader some basic information, but it doesn’t create an image. Compare that sentence with this: Showing: His eyes are closed, and he’s cradling the guitar in his arms like a lover. It’s as if he’s trying to hold on to something that wants to let go. The second example takes that basic information and paints a picture with it. It also uses figurative language- in this case, the simile â€Å"cradling the guitar in his arms like a lover†- to help create an image. When using description, it’s important not to overdo it. Otherwise, you can end up with what I call â€Å"police blotter† description. For example: He was tall, with brown hair and blue eyes. He wore a red shirt and jeans, and a brown leather jacket. 4. Be specific, not vague This is another one I’m constantly reminding my college students about. Frequently, they will turn in essays with vague, fuzzy language. I’m not sure if they think this type of writing sounds more academic, but all it really does is frustrate the reader. Instead of writing, â€Å"I had never felt anything like it before in my entire life,† take the time to try and describe what that feeling was, and then decide how best to convey that feeling to the reader. Your readers will thank you for it. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Fiction Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Cost-Effective vs. Cost-EfficientCapitalization Rules for the Names of Games40 Idioms with First

Alcohol Abuse in the over 65 Population

A discussion of the increase of alcohol abuse in the senior population. This paper discusses the problem of an increase of alcohol abuse among the over 65 segment of the population. The problems in identifying alcohol abuse in this group, as well as the consequences ofthe abuse are presented.The causes of abuse specific to the elderly population are explored.Substance abuse, especially that of alcohol and prescription drugs, is increasingly growing into a serious problem among the population segment of 65 plus citizens. What is of grave concern is the fact that this particular segment of the population is the fastest growing. Census estimates predict that 1994s older adult population of 33 million will more than double to 80 million by 2050.Also consider the fact that several studies have found a clear relationship between early alcohol habits and the development of alcohol abuse later in life. Given that the use of alcohol has been more widespread since the 1960s, it is likely that the future will see a far larger incidence of alcohol abuse among the el derly with the aging of the baby boomers (those born between 1946 and 1964).

Atlantic Computer Pricing Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 5

Atlantic Computer Pricing Strategy - Essay Example Jowers finds that pricing is significant where the market impact, profit results, or both, of price variations, is great, and where firms have considerable discretion over the prices charged. In many instances, pricing decisions are severely constrained and are sometimes relatively unimportant. Large purchasers of industrial goods, like Atlantic Computer, may specify prices at which they will buy, determine product specifications, and send specifications to suppliers for competitive bids. This, it will prevent the company from effective competition and can lead to decrease in sales. The alternative solutions are status-quo pricing, competition-based pricing, cost-plus pricing and value-in-use pricing. Analyzing these strategies, Jowers takes into account competitors reaction and market positioning of Atlantic Computer. He supposes that frother products price may not be a relevant factor. In some technical areas where products require much research and development and involve much uncertainty, a cost-plus scheme may be used. In other situations, sellers may be almost completely free to set prices, while in still others, they may only be able to decide whether or not to sell at a price. Thus, the proposed pricing strategies have a negative or neutral impact on PESA and its strategic position on the market. The main requirements for the product are minimal acquisition costs, minimal possession costs, and the possibility to process many information requests. Introduction of the PESA is a crucial step for Atlantic Computer to gain market share and attract more client s. The plan of action will involve analysis of sales force and their ability to introduce the PESA, customers purchasing power and analysis of the first sales. Buyers are concerned not only with price, in their purchases, but also with service, status, and image. Low price alone does not result in a transaction.

Questions for Consideration (4-6) Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Questions for Consideration (4-6) - Assignment Example Therefore, the proxy statement would provide information on the salaries, bonuses and other compensations of the top level management. This information can be used by investors to determine how reliable the executives are with the hefty amounts of assets to manage. In my opinion, the most basic and important section of the proxy statement is section on accountants and the payment extended to the external auditors. The disclosure of the additional fees paid to auditors would be used to detect any cases of fraud and bribery. This is because auditors have the ability to unearth existing fraud of funds in a company at the expense of shareholders (Palmiter 175). Cash flows can be used to gauge a company’s performance. This is because cash flows show the money used in all aspects of an organization’s operations and transactions. This includes the cash used to buy assets, money raised by investors and financing from loans. Since these aspects help a company to generate earnings, then cash flows can be used to measure performance. The EBITDA can be used to gauge a company’s performance. It entails earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization. The basis of its use is that it reflects the happenings in all core operations of a company while disregarding expenses that are considered irrelevant. Net income can also be used to measure a company’s performance. This is because income indicates the earnings made in surplus of the least expected income on the operating assets. Income also shows the value added after an organization’s operations. Both EBITDA and pro forma earnings are both intended to reveal the true operating earnings of a company. The methods also portray how companies’ main operations have performed. In both methods, the management decides what expenses are relevant to the ongoing company’s

Final Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Final - Essay Example As a final requirement of the course, the current essay hereby aims to present a narrative synthesis of one’s personal reflection on the academic progress in terms of achieving the defined course objectives. Enhancing Rhetorical Knowledge Through the first writing assignment that requires writing an observation essay, one’s rhetorical knowledge was aptly developed through analyzing a particular advertisement that was specifically designed to create audience appeal and to entice the target market to purchase the advertised product. The advertisement used was Nissan Dualis as the company promoted its 360Â ° view. One thereby recognized that to effectively use rhetorical elements of logos, pathos, and ethos, the advertiser (or literary writer) should first determine the target audience and subsequently design strategies that would cater to the audience’s specific needs. Likewise, one recognized that the credibility of the writer was needed to be firmly established to ensure that the arguments promoted are validly supported, in conjunction with other ingredients which would assist in convincing the audience of the veracity of the assertions. Skills In Critical Thinking The skills in critical thinking was recognized to have been amply improved through the second writing project which was an argumentative essay about the letter of Martin Luther King, Jr. (MLK) while he was incarcerated in Birmingham jail. It was actually a challenging experience since reading the letter was tedious, not only because of it being lengthy; but also due to the style of writing of MLK. Further, the requirement of the writing project, to argue about a topic which was not evidently obvious was also a trying experience that necessitated looking at various perspectives and thinking outside the box to come up with a most plausible written discourse. Appreciating Writing as a Process, Developing Knowledge of Writing Conventions, and Composing in Electronic Environments By the time that the third essay was assigned, which focused on a political rhetorical essay through an analysis of Mitt Romney’s speech, one has already gained enough confidence to practice skills in critical thinking, as well as using the knowledge of rhetorical elements. Also since the speech had to be searched through the electronic medium, one’s research skills were also enhanced. Practicing how one would effectively write the thesis statement still stirs reflective thinking in terms of using appropriate words to establish the personal contentions or objectives of the essay. Using this writing experience, the rhetorical strategies used were evaluated, identified, and appropriately supported through citing relevant portions of the speech. Aside from knowledge of rhetorical elements and strategies, the concepts surrounding presence of propaganda framework and presence of double speak were also required to be addressed. The process was challenging in terms of the need t o differentiate between these two political frameworks and be able to support one’s arguments based on linking the concepts with applications shown within the speech. A lot of critical thinking, preparation of the draft, revising, paraphrasing, adherence to grammatical rules, conformity to rules of citations and referencing, as well as adherence to the prescribed

The bicycle Thieves Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The bicycle Thieves - Essay Example It should be clarified that the movement began not to highlight the economic decline that followed World War II but because of it. The film-making industry suffered in particular – by the conversion of studios in to military and refugee camps, the lack of equipment and the unreliability of the electrical supply. This lead to the production of films shot strictly on location, capturing the war-ravaged sights of post-war Italy – and focusing on a more honest portrayal of real lives and real people. Neo-realist filmmakers believed that cinema had moral repercussions and should thus be manipulated carefully to draw attention towards some truths. ‘The Bicycle Thieves’, in keeping with traditional neo-realist films casts non-professional actors in lead roles. Indeed, the protagonist of the movie, Antonio Ricci, was played by Lamberto Maggiorani, a worker himself. The character Antonia Ricci is shown to have been unemployed for almost two years at the start of the film before he is offered a job – the sole requirement of which is the possession of a bicycle. Despite knowing that he does not own one, Ricci takes up the job of putting up movies posters around town. His wife, Maria, pawns linen bed-sheets that were a part of her dowry in exchange for money to buy a bicycle. On their way home, his wife stops at an old building, claiming to meet someone. However, Antonio discovers that Maria is actually there to give money to a clairvoyant who predicted that he would get a job soon. Ricci mocks her and tells her off for being superstitious. The next day, as Antonio sets out for work, a young man steals his bicycle while his back is turned and takes off with it. Antonio pursues him frenetically until he loses track of him. He goes to the police to enlist their help but discovers that there is not much they can do. In despair, Antonio takes to walking the streets and scouting marketplaces with his son, Bruno, and his friends in search of his bicycle. Their search leads them to many places and to falsely accusing a man of possessing the stolen bicycle. However, after vainly attempting to find it, they give up. At this point, Antonio decides to treat his son to dinner at a restaurant. The scene that follows is pivotal to the theme of the movie. While Antonio and Bruno are enjoying their meal, Bruno keeps turning around to look at another seemingly wealthier family dining at a table nearby. He exchanges glances with a boy his own age seated at this table. Antonio notices this, and exclaims with frustration ‘To eat like that, you’d have to earn at least a million a month.’ Antonio and Bruno, in the throes of their despair, go to see the clairvoyant that Antonio had mocked earlier on. It is interesting to note that when faced with the prospect of poverty, Ricci turns to the same superstitions he derided his wife for believing in while when at the start of the film, shortly after the acquisition of his bi cycle and a job, he believes them to be associated with irrationality and thus baseless. The clairvoyant gives Ricci vague and unhelpful advice, telling him that he would either find his bicycle today o not at all. Dismayed, Bruno and Antonio leave the building. Soon after, however, they spot the thief who had stolen his bicycle. They chase him down, but are surrounded by hostile neighbors. Bruno discreetly slips away to find a policeman while Antonio accuses the thief of having

Culture report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Culture report - Essay Example The most important day observed by Germany is designated as â€Å"The fall of the Wall† with great zeal every year. This day signifies for the reunion of German, which played an imperative role in the national development of Germany. Another significant event, which takes place in Germany, is Christmas, which marks the birth of Christ (Lueschen, Blood and Lewis). Therefore, religion plays a significant role in shaping the culture in Germany. At the same time, German culture is inclined towards collectivism because of this reason German people often under weigh the rights of an individual versus those of many. Along with this, gender and racial discrimination is at par in German atmosphere (Lueschen, Blood and Lewis). In parallel, the value of German language in world history cannot be negated. Therefore, this paper is providing some of the German customary greetings, which include Hallo (hello), Guten Morgen (good morning), Guten Tag (good day) and Guten Abend (good

Final Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Final - Essay Example As a final requirement of the course, the current essay hereby aims to present a narrative synthesis of one’s personal reflection on the academic progress in terms of achieving the defined course objectives. Enhancing Rhetorical Knowledge Through the first writing assignment that requires writing an observation essay, one’s rhetorical knowledge was aptly developed through analyzing a particular advertisement that was specifically designed to create audience appeal and to entice the target market to purchase the advertised product. The advertisement used was Nissan Dualis as the company promoted its 360Â ° view. One thereby recognized that to effectively use rhetorical elements of logos, pathos, and ethos, the advertiser (or literary writer) should first determine the target audience and subsequently design strategies that would cater to the audience’s specific needs. Likewise, one recognized that the credibility of the writer was needed to be firmly established to ensure that the arguments promoted are validly supported, in conjunction with other ingredients which would assist in convincing the audience of the veracity of the assertions. Skills In Critical Thinking The skills in critical thinking was recognized to have been amply improved through the second writing project which was an argumentative essay about the letter of Martin Luther King, Jr. (MLK) while he was incarcerated in Birmingham jail. It was actually a challenging experience since reading the letter was tedious, not only because of it being lengthy; but also due to the style of writing of MLK. Further, the requirement of the writing project, to argue about a topic which was not evidently obvious was also a trying experience that necessitated looking at various perspectives and thinking outside the box to come up with a most plausible written discourse. Appreciating Writing as a Process, Developing Knowledge of Writing Conventions, and Composing in Electronic Environments By the time that the third essay was assigned, which focused on a political rhetorical essay through an analysis of Mitt Romney’s speech, one has already gained enough confidence to practice skills in critical thinking, as well as using the knowledge of rhetorical elements. Also since the speech had to be searched through the electronic medium, one’s research skills were also enhanced. Practicing how one would effectively write the thesis statement still stirs reflective thinking in terms of using appropriate words to establish the personal contentions or objectives of the essay. Using this writing experience, the rhetorical strategies used were evaluated, identified, and appropriately supported through citing relevant portions of the speech. Aside from knowledge of rhetorical elements and strategies, the concepts surrounding presence of propaganda framework and presence of double speak were also required to be addressed. The process was challenging in terms of the need t o differentiate between these two political frameworks and be able to support one’s arguments based on linking the concepts with applications shown within the speech. A lot of critical thinking, preparation of the draft, revising, paraphrasing, adherence to grammatical rules, conformity to rules of citations and referencing, as well as adherence to the prescribed

Culture report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Culture report - Essay Example The most important day observed by Germany is designated as â€Å"The fall of the Wall† with great zeal every year. This day signifies for the reunion of German, which played an imperative role in the national development of Germany. Another significant event, which takes place in Germany, is Christmas, which marks the birth of Christ (Lueschen, Blood and Lewis). Therefore, religion plays a significant role in shaping the culture in Germany. At the same time, German culture is inclined towards collectivism because of this reason German people often under weigh the rights of an individual versus those of many. Along with this, gender and racial discrimination is at par in German atmosphere (Lueschen, Blood and Lewis). In parallel, the value of German language in world history cannot be negated. Therefore, this paper is providing some of the German customary greetings, which include Hallo (hello), Guten Morgen (good morning), Guten Tag (good day) and Guten Abend (good

The Unexpected Essay Example for Free

The Unexpected Essay She opened the mail box, as she expected there is a letter lying in there waiting for her to pick it up. She walked into the house, trying to find the paper knife to unseal the letter. You can obviously see the letter it’s been carefully wrapped by the back of a poster, and you can clearly see the picture on the back side. Finally Julia saw the paper knife is hidden under Lydia’s little â€Å"baby†, it’s a teddy bear stuffy, but in Lydia’s mind, that’s her little girl. Julia yelled:†Lydia, why is the paper knife is under the teddy? What did you do with that? Didn’t I tell that knifes are dangerous?†Ã¢â‚¬ But mommy, my baby is sick, she needs a surgery, and you weren’t home, so I just did it by myself. † Lydia murmured, that’s what she always does when she realize if something seems not quite right. Julia picked the paper knife up and sat down, cut the envelope open, and the neat writing reminds her 3 years ago, when she just got divorced with Joe, her ex-husband. Joe and Julia met when they were so young, and at the moment they met they knew each other was the one, soon after 5 years of relationships; they got engaged on Julia’s 26th birthday. And after 51 weeks little Julia was born. Everything seems so perfect until Julia found out sometimes when Joe had couple of beers he will be so rude to them, he would even swear to littlie Lydia, she finally had enough and signed the divorce paper, she asked for nothing but Julia. Because after she became a mother, she became more sensitive, she will do anything to protect her, that’s her job and also her mother of nature. Joe is so mad at Julia; he thinks he loves little Lydia just as much as Julia does, even more than her. But apparently as mom Julia doesn’t think so, she forced Joe to live, she reported the local child protective service, and the local newspaper had Joe on their headline. Because it’s a small town and Joe is someone in this town, so he was so humiliated. He couldn’t help the anger on him:†hey Julia, what goes around comes around, what you have done to me someday you will get to pay for this! Julia and Lydia finally got some peace ful at home, in a beautiful Sunday afternoon, Julia and Lydia cuddling in the couch watching the new:†Sichuan earthquake or had a deadly earthquake that measured at 8.0-7.9 at .1:09; 56-6:28 0n Monday. Killing an estimated 68,000 people.† Then the news switches to a video of how people are doing in Sichuan, the  remains of the building, the searching team searching for survivors. Julia looks so sad; her tears are trembling in her eyes. She cried:†oh my god, we’ve got save these kids. Come on, let’s go online and find out if there is any way we can help them!† so they went on the internet found a list of children with names, address, pictures and about their situations. They saw a young boy is about 16; his name is Qiuqiu, his dad passed away when he was 5 because of kidney cancer, his mom raised him by herself, and it was a tough life. His mom died during the earthquake, when the earthquake happens, and they were having a nap. And as soon as the earthquake happens, his mom ran into his room, woke him up, and dragged him into a corner where there is a closet so it keeps a Seismic safety triangle. But they waited too long until the rescue team comes, and so his mom couldn’t holding it up, finally she left before he does. And there is another girl who is a friend of Qiuqiu, she is one year older than Qiuqiu, her name is fang, and she is an orphan, she was in a orphanage, but because she is quite old for someone to adopt her, because people usually likes the little one, so they will only remember their foster parents instead of birth parents. So she before the earthquake she was living with one of the nurse in the orphanage. But unfortunately she died in the debris flow that was caused by the earthquake. Julia chose them immediately, and then she decided to invite them to stay with them for a week. Julia wrote a long letter to them, she wrote down how sorry she is about Qiuqiu’s mom, and she understands that how hard it must to being a single mom. And also she wrote to fang, that if she wants to stay in Beijing for good, she is always welcome to stay in her house, if she wants it, Julia can help her to find a perfect job for her. And Lydia drew a picture of their beautiful condo in with lots of high buildings around. Julia is back with her flashback, and she gingerliness unfolds the letter:† Dear Julia and little Lydia, this is Qiuqiu and fang. Right now we are living together with all the children that lost their families in the earthquake. Lots of people came to visit us, and they were so nice. They brought us foods and daily necessities. Some couples came here adopted some younger kids. We are living like a big family, and we are enjoying this. Just yesterday, Papa Jingtao came to visit us, we called him papa Jingtao, because he doesn’t look that serious when we saw him on TV, not at all. He sang with us, he told us fun stories about when he was young. And we decided  not to go to Beijing yet, we thought it might be fun if we work and finish school at the same time, we will go to universities in Beijing, and then we can meet up what do you think? Please say hi to little Lydia, we really love her drawings! †¦..† and they talked so much about the local government built a temporary school for them so they can study while everything is on construction. So they kept writing to each other on and on, and Lydia is the one always wanted to contact with them, she said:†they are like my big brother and sister, and I just can’t wait to meet them.† Then Julia would send them checks as well, so Qiuqiu and fang will finish their school by that. They always talk about the cities are getting back together, and there is a new restaurant just opened, and there is a big shopping mall just opened. But they always just looked inside behind the door, because they don’t have money to afford anything. They are still kids, they are easy to satisfy. It was like the blink of an eye, suddenly two years has past, and Lydia just turned her 7th birthday, Julia decided to make a birthday cake for Lydia, they got all the ingredients ready, and Julia suggested:†do you want to go to the mail box check if there is a letter from your brother and sister? † So little Lydia went to the mail box, and what she brought back was a let ter from Julia’s boss. â€Å"Dear Julia, I’m sorry to tell you this, but we already found a girl that will fit right in your position, she just graduated from a famous medical school. And I believe she will do a better job than you, after I talked to Joe last night, I realized maybe you should fins somewhere to continue your job†¦..† Julia got angered, and she couldn’t finish reading the letter, she cannot believe her boss fired her through email. But she couldn’t show it that how angry she is, she just acted normal, because she doesn’t want to ruin her little girl’s birthday. At night, after she put Lydia to bed, she called Joe immediately, â€Å"what did you say to my boss exactly?† Joe giggle on the other side of the phone: â€Å"I didn’t say anything other than how you feel about your boss, and how you can’t wait to leave there for good. Hey don’t be mad, I was just helping you out. Oh forgot to tell you, I’m taking the house back tomorrow. So you better start packing up now, in case you won’t get any time for tomorrow!†Then he hanged up the phone before Julia was going to say something. And there is only one sentence in her head† what am I going to do? What am I going to do? What am I going to do? She is so perplexed; she  lost her job and her house just like that, through a letter and a phone call. After she finished worrying about all of those furniture and clothes, she started worrying about Qiuqiu and Fang, now she doesn’t has any incomes, and she is never that kind of person would have money in the saving account for the future uses. She used to have like the best job in the world except a noisy boss, but with high pay that’s fine, with that she can afford Qiuqiu and fang’s school fees and herself with Lydia’s cost of livings. But now what is she supposed to do. She has to find a job that gets quick money, also she has to find a place to live that’s the most important thing. And she couldn’t fall asleep at night. She keeps thinking about Qiuqiu and fang, can they still go to school without her financial supports? Then she decided to keep supporting them with money, she tried to find a job that is as good as the one she had before, but it wasn’t easy. So she can only find some waiters job and babysitting. Lydia couldn’t understand the change in a sudden, she just keeps asking Julia what is going wrong, Julia just said:†oh don’t worry honey, it’s just a life experiencing.† And Lydia thought her mommy is still working as a dentist that’s been respected by lots of people, actually right now Julia is working as a waitress where she meets lots of drunk and rude people, but she doesn’t want to tell her little girl, She wants Lydia still lives in the fairy tale. In the main time, she still keeps sending checks to Qiuqiu and fang, she use those inspiring words to encourage them, herself as well. She is so appreciated that Qiuqiu and fang didn’t complain the money is less than before, they are still grateful about how much Julia did to her. And finally Qiuqiu and fang are coming to visit them, they came to Beijing a year ago, but Qiuqiu thinks it’s better If they start their career first, and when they go visit Julia. They don’t want let Julia down, both of them are so good at art. When they first came here, they found some agencies to sell their work. People were so touched by their completely fresh and clean painting, they were so popular. People would spend so much money for their work, so they soon became rich. But they are still receiving money from Julia, they don’t use it, they use that to help other kids that couldn’t afford the school fees. And finally they decided to go visit Julia and Lydia. So they sent a letter to Julia, they asked for Lydia’s address, but they didn’t say when they are coming. It still made little Lydia jumped, she finally get to meet her â€Å"brother and sister†. On a  beautiful Sunday with sunshine, and gentle breeze, Qiuqiu and Fang ran g the door bell of Julia’s house. Julia didn’t know who that is, but her heart started beating so fast, she got so excited suddenly, â€Å"coming!† she looked through the peep hole, she see two young people standing outside, with lots of shopping bags on their hands. She suddenly has this weird feelings, she can feel that they are Qiuqiu and Fang. She opened the door, and yelled:†Lydia! Come come! Look who’s here!† and then she asked gently:† you are Qiuqiu and Fang right? † they smiled happily and nodded, both of them can’t believe their life saver and their â€Å"family† is standing right in front of them, and here comes a young girl with beautiful long dark silky hair, she is so pretty, she is blinking those two bambi eyes at these strangers. But she doesn’t feel nervous at all, she feels like she knew them long time ago. And then Lydia said:†hey honey, come meet Qiuqiu and Fang† Lydia jumped onto Fang, and Fang held her then she circled around. Lydia couldn’t help, she cried so much, and Qiuqiu came and hugged her, they look so happy and they are a family. Julia invited them in, Qiuqiu and Fang told Julia about the gallery, and Lydia told her situation of how she was struggling about the finance problem, but she doesn’t want Qiuqiu and Fangâ€⠄¢s dream, so she just worked even harder. During the talk they laughed, cried, they don’t feel strange to each other at all. And Fang asked:† after how much we’ve been through, I and Qiuqiu are getting married, because we were always there for each other, and we decided to be together. We bought a house with 3 bedrooms, we really want you to come live with us, you’ve done so much for us and right now it’s about time for us to return the favor. Please please say yes!† Julia couldn’t believe they are getting married and she cried because of the happiness, the little Lydia couldn’t wait, she jumped and yelling† Yes! Yes!† so Julia said:†we are going home, honey!† and so then, they lived happily ever after.

Implications For Classroom Teachers Education Essay

Implications For Classroom Teachers Education Essay Learning is the process that results in a relatively enduring change in a person or persons (Alexander et al, 2009: 186). According to Winn, 1990, learning is a dynamic process whereby the students knowledge and skills are different when compared before to after learning. Since teaching is the promotion of learning, our knowledge of learning and the corresponding theories in how we learn should inform our teaching (Muijs, 2007). Understanding how knowledge is developed can allow teachers to shape the methodological delivery of their subject content to match the theoretical frameworks underpinning how knowledge is enhanced. Attending to the way students learn can be used to foster effective teaching practices, allowing teachers to improve their practice, and ultimately enhacne the quality of the learners experience (Macleod Golby, 2003). A number of educational researchers, including Vytsgosy 1986, Piaget, 1976, Skinner 1974; Bandura 1986 amongst others, offer learning paradigms to explain how individuals learn. For the purposes of this assignment the extremes of this learning theory spectrum, which are represented by the Behaviourist and Constructivist theories of learning, will be discussed. Inevitably, learning and teaching poses a synergistic relationship, reinforcing the need for teachers to teach with an approach that reflects how students naturally learn (Muijs, 2007), and subsequently consider the implications of the learning theories on their classroom practice. The behaviouristic theory of learning Learning, according to behaviourists (Skinner 1974; Bandura 1986), is defined as the acquisition of new behaviour. The focus of behaviourism is the conditioning of observable human behaviour and revolves around the principal conception that a reaction is made in response to a specific stimulus (Prittard, 2009). This reaction leads to a consequence. If the consequence is pleasant and positive, the behaviour change becomes reinforced via positive reinforcement. With consistent reinforcement, the behaviour pattern becomes conditioned and is automatically activated upon stimuli presentation. Physiologically, behaviourist theories propose that learning is achieved through reinforcement of a particular neural pathway, which links the stimuli and response in the brain. This repeated activation and reinforcement ultimately strengthens the neural pathways and connections between the stimuli and specific responses, resulting in a faster, smoother implementation of certain responses (Pritchard, 2009). Behaviourists identify this form of learning as conditioning, where with consistent reinforcement the behaviour pattern becomes conditioned. Classical conditioning involves the reinforcement of a natural reflex or behaviours which occur naturally as a response to a specific stimulus. In contrast, operant conditioning involves reinforcing behaviour by praising it, or discouraging undesirable behaviour with punishment (Prittard, 2009). Constructivist advocates, including Vygotsky 1986 and Piaget (1970; 1976) amongst others, began to criticise the behaviourist approach, as it was seen too teacher centred and directed, void of meaningful learning and the teacher process was focused too much on individual rather than collaborative group work. In addition, the constructivist theorists challenged the behaviourist proposed separation between mental processing and knowledge, which had to be bridged by the role of a teacher (Prittard, 2009). The Constructivist Theory The constructivist movement was formed on Piagets (1976) and Vygotsky (1986) work who viewed learning as the effect of mental construction, whereby learners combined their existing knowledge with new information, to construct meaning and formulated their understanding (Cholewinski, 2009). The constructivist theory proposes that learning is an active, contextual process, a social activity, centred on constructing meaning and regards the learner as a responsible agent in their knowledge acquisition (Loyens 2007; Cholewinski 2009). In constructivist learning, individuals use world-based experiences in an effort to make sense of what they perceive and establish their understanding of their surroundings (Harris, 1994). Since constructivism involves learners to interact with their immediate learning environment, learning has been considered to be situation-specific and context-bound activity (McInerney and McInerney, 2002). Constructivism is an umbrella term to encompass the wide range of constructivist perspectives, which can be separated into two branches; cognitive constructivism (Piaget, 1976) and social constructivism (Vygotsky, 1986). Both sub-types believe that knowledge is actively constructed by individuals (Birenbaum 2003), however through the use of different mediums; either through a series of internal, intellectual stages (cognitive constructivism), or by social interaction (social constructivism). The numerous perspectives on constructivism within these two sub-types could be essentially grouped around a rooted assumption about learning. That is, knowledge is actively constructed by the learner (Birenbaum 2003; Harris and Alexander 1998). Piagets (2001) developmental stage theory, which represents cognitive constructivism, presents four age-referenced development stages which provide a theory of gradual cognitive development up to the age of eleven years old. The stages refer to an explicit age range and characterise the cognitive abilities necessary at each stage to construct meaning of ones environment. Social constructivism emphasises the role of language in the process of intellectual development. Vygotsky considered dialogue, usually with a more knowledgeable other, as a vehicle by which concepts are considered, shared and developed. The dialogue, which is based on learners pre existing and current knowledge (schemas), is then exploited to develop and construct new ideas and understanding. Vygotsky advocates that the process of learning involves moving into and across a zone of proximal development, which is aided by the intervention of another through support. The zone of proximal development is a theoretical space of understanding which is just above the level of an individuals current understanding. The process of giving support to learners at the appropriate time and level of sophistication to meet the individual needs is termed scaffolding. Scaffolding can allow the movement from one zone to another and assists in the passing through the zone of proximal development. From reviewing the literature, educational researchers which employ these constructivist principles select aspects from both strands of this learning theory (Biggs, 1979), and use constructivist theories as a generalised term. Therefore, for the purpose of this assignment, the term constructivism will reflect a collaboration of both social and cognitive strands; however specific branches and the implications of these strands are highlighted where necessary. Critique of learning theories and associated implications upon classroom practice A review of the literature suggests that behaviouristic learning does not offer students the chance to develop deep meaning and understanding (Entwistle Smith, 2002), but instead has a tendency to promote superficial learning of skills (Fosnot, 1996). Making a correct response and remembering content does not necessarily imply understanding, and consequently the actual understanding achieved through behavioural approaches is challenged. Marton et al, (1997) and Entwistle and Smith (2002) conclude that the use of rote memorisation represents a learning approach to a surface level of understanding, whilst establishing links with current knowledge, as encouraged by constructivists, reflects an approach for a deeper level of understanding. This suggests that academic and subject knowledge learning, based on the behaviouristic theory, may not be academically supported. Furthermore, from a constructivist perspective, the principle of learning using prior experience is also beneficial in promoting a deeper and richer understanding (Pressley, Harris Marks, 1992). Demerici 2009 advises that information which is connected to a learners prior experiences is more likely to be retained, explaining higher retention rates when a constructivist approach is adopted. (Demirici and Yavuz, 2009). Research suggests that learning through such constructive mediums, like discussion, participation and practice, are academically successful and associated with learning gains and knowledge retention (Demirci Yavuz, 2009). Dericimi also reported a significant difference in post-test grades and retention learning tests grades, with the constructivist approach being more efficient than the conventional, behaviouristic approach. Cumulatively, the research suggests that constructivist approaches lead to a richer and deeper understanding. It is therefore plausible to suggest that the quality and depth of understanding associated to a constructivist teaching approach is more likely to exceed that of the behaviourist approach. However, as Entwhistle and Smith (2002) identify, the association between memorisation and surface approach learning may be weak. Kember, (1996) and Watkins and Biggs (1996) reported that memorisation can be used to learn unfamiliar terminology, as the first stage to establishing understanding. This concept, where memorisation is part of meaningful learning, is defined as memorising with understanding (Marton, Watkins, Tang, 1997; Meyer, 2000) and has been conducted by students as a successful revision tool (Entwistle Entwistle, 2001). Controversially, Fox (2001) suggests that the constructivist theory may imply that remembering is not important, and that learning is solely centred on understanding concepts. However, neither of these are true, and being able to remember knowledge is an important prerequisite of learning. In addition, Biggs, (1998) and Jin and Cortazzi, (1998) have reported that constructivist teaching approaches dont consistently guarantee teaching effectiveness. Instead, traditional, more behaviourist approaches to learning in large classes has proven to be successful internationally, such as in China. Fox, 2001, argues that constructivism neglects the role of memorisation and mechanical learning techniques Arguably, due to the varying nature of meaning which is uncontrollably constructed by students, in some cases, rote learning and memorisation may be more useful when teaching factual concepts and where clarity in understanding is required. Rote learning may be used to help students cope better with some aspects of work that they find difficult. In addition, Smith (2001, 2002) affirms that rote learning can contribute to understanding. However, teachers must consider that rote learning is not an approach to develop understanding and therefore where possible, should be followed by attempts to encourage and promote understanding. For example teachers could consider engaging with the subject content and provoking discussion of the content in an effort to encourage more meaningful understanding. Group work may play a very important role in reinforcing subject knowledge and working to gether and collaborating with peers could be a useful teaching and learning tool. Ultimately, it appears that behaviouristic learning approaches can be beneficial for particular tasks such as establishing classroom behaviour (Prittard, 2009). For example, Muijs Reynolds (2003) report that standard school and classroom routines and expectations for behaviour can be successfully learnt through behaviouristic approaches. Therefore, teachers need to consider whether the learning is academic or behavioural before teaching the class. In the case of behaviour management, a strategy to quieten the class, such as raising of the hand, or counting down from three could be effectively used. In this case, the stimulus, such as the teacher raising their hand or calling out the number three, must be fully explained to the class. In addition, the stimuli must be fully visible and audible to the students, which is possible with a clearly risen hand or an assertive voice. The response desired, such as a student raising of the hand and silence, must be fully understood by students. It is important that the stimulus-response occurrence is repeated by the teacher and used regularly. The same strategy should be employed every time the teacher wants to quieten the class, establishing consistency of stimuli and behavioural response. This repeated activation strengthens the pathways, affording for a smoother and faster implementation of the response. Pupils should be made aware of the negative and positive consequences if they do not respond to the stimuli as desired and the consequences need to be kept consistent. Therefore, consistency of behaviour management strategies is crucial and classroom practice must adhere to the same strategise as the same stimuli is presented for a specific response. Behaviourism relies on reinforcement which is employed to condition the behaviour, and therefore is essentially the tool which brings about learning. Therefore rewards and punishments for behaviours must play a crucial role and actively administered within classroom practice. Behaviourism may therefore stimulate and encourage more use of positive reinforcement which has been a well recognised effective classroom practice (Elliott and Busse, 1991). However teachers must consider that rewarding children who are already highly motivated may not be as effective, and may actually lead to a loss of interest (Prittard, 2009) Rewards and praise have been shown to enhance motivation, and serve as an effective behaviour management tool, however, praising students may not come naturally to teachers. Behaviouristic approaches to learning appear to be more favourable to certain individuals, and teachers need to consider the pupils concerned and whether this approach to learning suits their learning styles, needs and ability. For example, Prittard (2009) reports that behaviouristic methods are more advantageous for those pupils who display anxious tendencies and low motivation. In contrast, those of higher academic ability perceive simplistic drill and practice unsatisfying and dull (Prittard 2009). In addition, some students demand understanding, yet adhering to behaviouristic learning approaches does not accommodate this requirement. In other situations, the concepts of learning without understanding can fuel frustration, lead to misconceptions and generate a difficult learning environment (Prittard 2009) Another important consideration is that behaviourist approaches dont take account of mental cognitive processing involved in learning. In contrast, constructivism emphasises that the learners must develop their understanding for themselves and constructivist researchers advocate that mental activity is the lifeblood of learning and the extent of what is learnt (Jonassen Rohrer-Murphy, 1999). However, the constructivist theory may imply that all individual differences in learning come down to the consequences of each learners history of learning (Loyens, 2008). Furthermore, although we do learn by acquiring knowledge from our environments through interacting with the external world, Fox highlights that the environment also acts upon learners. That is, we act and react, and learning can be achieved from both experiences. However, constructivism appears to fail to acknowledge adaptive instinctive responses as reactive forms of learning (Fox, 2001) and the role of talent in cognitive development. Furthermore, Fox (2001) and Bredo, (2000) argue that constructivism discounts the role of innate, motivational and genetic factors in knowledge construction, which have been proven to play a role in cognitive development and learning (Carey Spelke, 1994). Teachers therefore cannot assume that the products of learning are solely the teachers effort and thought; instead learning is externally and internally influenced. Importantly, teachers need to provide activities which engage and challenge learners. This demands a board array of work which is differentiated to the learners intellect.. Teachers need to offer scope of activities where the accustomed effort and activity falls on the learners responsibility. Differentiation is a critical implication in the classroom to assure that all pupils have to apply mental effort and take an active role in their own learning. Such opportunities would afford learner engagement and optimise the possibility of effective lasting learning taking place (Prittard, 2009). Personalisation is also crucial to ensure all learners, despite genetic and innate differences which may affect their learning are accounted for. If a pupil is set tasks which do not require thought or challenge, learning constructively will fail. Piagets stage developmental theory offers guidance covering the level of complexity that may be expected in a childs thought processes at approximate stages in their development. Piagets Theory may guide a teachers differentiation as to the ability of pupils, and the required scaffolding and support in order to facilitate the movement between zones of cognitive development. Whilst Piagets developmental stage theory influences principally primary school teaching practices, given the ages this theory is related to, the appreciation and awareness that cognitive ability develops with age is important to consider when teaching all ages. The exactness of the Piaget (2001) stage of development has been criticised since in it unclear and presumptuous to assume children will pass through the stages at specific ages, however, as a developmental process; this theory is useful in teaching practices Another implication for teachers is the questioning they employ within the classroom. To allow pupils to construct their own knowledge and understanding, questions need to be higher order and exploratory Moursund (2003), in accordance with Blooms Taxonomy (1956) , to include command words such as evaluate and synthesise. Moreover, questions need to be open-ended and allow pupils to develop their personal understanding though answering the questions, rather than simple closed questions, where the answers are already pre-determined. Pupils need to be given the opportunity to gradually learn processes and construct their own answers. Teachers can promote this using questions which encourage students to gradually construct their understanding, such as evaluate, synthesise and analytical questions. Another pitfall of the constructivist theory is that it assumes students actively seek resources and experiences, and therefore students understanding is dependent and anchored by their experiences and pre-existing knowledge. In addition, it is assumed that learners utilise the construed data to actively construct their knowledge (Renkl, 1999). Therefore, this approach to learning relies on students encountering experiences and applying these experiences to their pre-existing knowledge to develop their understanding. However, such experiences and world-based interactions may not be feasible or available to students due to their lifestyle circumstances. Consequently, teachers need to be aware that understanding and meaning is limited to the individual experiences of the students. In accordance with this assumption, the constructivist theory can explain why pupils conceptions and meaning do vary between each other (Taber, 2000). In addition, if the construction of knowledge is the acti vity of the learner, then the learner can only understand what they have constructed (Duffy Cunningham). Therefore, constructivism may be seen as subjective and relative (Duffy and Cunningham, 1996). This may lead to marking criteria discrepancies, confusion and inconsistency, and student misconceptions, which do not match reality. In addition, Duffy and Cunningham propose that if the constructions and meanings are different amongst students, the little shared understanding may challenge the ease of communication between learners and the class. This may jeopardise the effectiveness of class discussions and social interactions as a tool to enhance learning. Similarly, as construction is activity on part of the learner (Bruner 1966, 1971), what is constructed cannot be controlled by the teacher. Instead the learner has autonomy and self-regulates what understanding is established. Therefore the students constructed understanding may not parallel with other students, with reality or with the teachers construction and understanding, resulting in multiple understandings (Choleweskni, 2009). Consequently, teachers must not assume that the construction and understanding of a concept is universal between all students. Instead teachers must actively access and consider the alternative perceptions and understanding of the learners, hence why a transmission teaching approach is fruitless. On the other hand, teachers come into the classroom with their own construction and conceptions of subject content, and according to Patrick (1988), are not neutral. Therefore, a teachers understanding can colour the students understanding, and together, Patrick (1998) and Marton and Booth (1997) suggested that some teachers moulded the students construction of a concept to align with their concept interpretation. Einsworth and Collins (2002) conclude that the form of understanding impressed onto students is largely dependent on the teachers personal interpretation of the subject content. Therefore, although the constructivist theory assumes that the construction of understanding is the product of the learners interpretation exclusively, the constructivist theory does not account for the interplay between teachers and learners comprehension. To accommodate these pre-requisites of learning, the individuals knowledge needs to be continually assessed. As a regular classroom practice, formative assessment could be used as a regular approach to assess existing and new understanding, before moving to the next lesson. Formative assessment is a regular, informal mode of assessment, allowing teachers to monitor students progress, gain an appreciation of what has been learnt and adapt their teaching practices to optimise further learning (Black and Wiliam, 1998). Accordingly, given that learning is an active and evolving processes, formative assessment can be used by teachers to assess, monitor, challenge unclear perspectives and adapt classroom practices to accommodate the constructivist principles of learning. Therefore, it is reasonable to believe that constructivist approaches to learning favour the use of formative assessment and may prompt its use in the classrooms, which Atkin et al, (2001) reports as being very valuable. Since formative assessment alone is associated with learning gains, (Black and Wiliam 1998), learning is positively influenced indirectly via adopting teaching strategies which are aligned to learning constructively. Formative assessment may be undertaken through questioning, teacher and pupil discussion, peer and self assessment and interaction with peers. Formative assessment will also identify pupils individual learning needs, supporting teachers conduct in differentiation to assure pupils are moving forward, across their ZPD and optimise learning gains. However, with behaviourism, the opportunities for feedback are confined to only whether the response desired is correct or not. There is little scope for learning, or how to improve in order to meet the desired response. Therefore, under behaviourist approaches, feedback cannot be used for learning purposes, therefore opportunities for assessment for learning, which have shown to enhance learning, may not be fruitful. Consequently, limited feedback combined with the objective outcomes of behaviourist approaches mean that individual student needs are not necessarily part of the formulae when considering teaching strategies and subject content. The need to consider individual needs is undeniable, therefore such constraints of feedback extent presents a multitude of problems to the teaching and learning of students. Importantly, to help progressive learning and avoid developing misconceptions, teachers need to provide a clear focus and goals, with explicit learning objectives (Clarke, 2001), which are rooted within pupils existing knowledge. The clear objectives allow students to construct their ideas using current knowledge and understand the overarching direction and progression of their learning. Activating prior knowledge is important to elicit pre-knowledge, allowing teachers to decipher the students current levels of understanding. Teachers need to highlight the links between students existing knowledge and the new subject knowledge, to help the learner form bridges and facilitate their mental construction and cognitive processes (REF). By forming these links, students can activate and recall their pre-existing knowledge, and use this foundation to build and integrate new concepts. Teachers should encourage students to relate new knowledge to current knowledge and external experiences, allowing the new subject content to become embedded within the existing knowledge structures, contributing to or amending to the students schema. Since learning constructively is based on the addition of new content to current knowledge, the learner must have sufficient levels of understanding before new content can be used to construct more complex meaning and progress. Teachers and educators need to recognise and appreciate that new content cannot be built up until the foundations, such as current knowledge, is secured. Therefore constructive pedagogies include regular formative assessment to assure students understanding. When constructing new concepts and developing understanding, reviewing and reflecting on what has already been learnt also helps to establish and secure students previous knowledge. In addition, by asking what students understand before embarking on a new concept would help students form links between new and previous knowledge (Fulton). This reviewing could be done as a starter, but also plays a role at the end of the lesson, forming a plenary. Teachers should consider, incorporate and plan for well managed plenary to consolidate knowledge. Time to reflect upon what has been undertaken, the processes and the content gives the opportunity for internalisation and for a deeper level of understanding to be developed. Similarly, learning is most effective when learners become engaged, which means that teachers need to adopt an active approach to learning and involve engaging tasks to promote learning in the classroom. Learning using authentic tasks, which allow pupils to relate to their own experience inside and outside the classroom (Selinger, 2001) increases the probability of engagement with the task and supports findings that learning in a familiar context is most effective. Authentic tasks are likely to hold the attention and interest of children, and lead to a deeper level of engagement than with non-authentic or less authentic tasks (Fulton). Favourably, the constructivist principles match those fundamentals associated with effective contextual learning. Evidence suggests that learning occurs in real-life contexts and learning is actually linked to a context, as deduced by Macleod and Goldby 2003. Children working with new ideas in a familiar content are more likely to engage with the ideas, than if the same ideas were present in an alien context. Therefore teachers should strive to include more authentic tasks and set learning concepts which are aligned with students familiar contexts. If a learning activity falls beyond the cultural understanding of the learning, then learning is likely to be less successful than if it had been situated in a more familiar setting. .Meaningful contexts for learning are very important; however, what is meaningful for a teacher is not necessarily meaningful for the student. The association between the concept of learning being situated and the need for authentic learning tasks is evidence (McFarlane, 1997). However, the recommended approach to situation learning in meaningful contexts (e.g. Lave Wenger, 1991) has been argued against. Walkerdine, 1988, for example argued that if school learning became situated solely within the lived world of daily experiences, the opportunities for abstract reasoning and reflective activity, which are all constituents of constructivism, would become limited and sacrificed, whilst confining students to their local environment. An active learning approach can be achieved by encouraging students to explore concepts and ideas, and to follow their instincts (Wray and Lewis, 1997). Given that exploration can promote sequential development of ideas, it is likely to assist in the construction of new knowledge; the roots to constructivism. Classroom practice could be based on a discovery-based approach (Huitt, 2004);, where students can find answers out for themselves, answer their own questions through experimenting with new ideas and discuss their beliefs and thinking patterns with their peers. Importantly, engaging with each other reflects social interactions, which can be a vehicle to develop understanding using social interaction. Unlike behaviourist approaches where the teacher is the primary resources of knowledge and is influenced by their interests and perspective; knowledge construction offers the opportunity of learning to become dynamic and varied (Sudizna, 1997). The use of resources promotes more interactive learning and interest, which are both shown to positively influence learning. Supported by Winn (1990), student knowledge is dynamic and changes, that is knowledge and skills are different before learning to after instruction and Behaviourist approaches have been criticised for not addressing this dynamic nature of learning. In addition, behaviourism theory does not appreciate that students come into classrooms with prior knowledge. Conversely, the constructivist theory acknowledges that pre-existing knowledge is requisite of learning and that students enter classrooms with pre-conceptions, knowledge and beliefs which they deploy in constructing new understanding. (Jones, Carter, Rua, 1999) As already discussed, scaffolding is crucial for the learner to pass through their zone of proximal development, and can be undertaken by the teacher. Scaffolding can be practiced in the classroom in many ways, and teachers need to appreciate that this is fundamental to the educational progression of students and how this may be achieved. Support materials need to be widely available, such as a writing frame to support a particular style of prose, or a list of words to help in the process of completing an exercise, designed to assist understanding The provision of practical apparatus, especially in science, may help to explain the solution to a problem and is an engaging approach. Students can evidence reality and attach a sense of perspective and reality to their learning. Given the exploratory nature of constructivism, classroom practice needs to be supportive and generate an environment where the student feels safe to ask for help and comfortable in approaching the teacher. The teacher must be aware of the different supportive needs of the class, and meet these through differentiation and allowing time for class discussion, misconceptions and any lack of understanding. To help the teacher identify those who need more support than others, formative assessment can be incorporated to highlight the students individual needs that need to be addressed. Ultimately, this will allow tasks to be designed and geared towards the individuals learning ability. Unlike, behaviourism theories, constructivist theory appreciates the important rol